Stone-throwing children target taxis

Two taxi firm owners, whose vehicles were damaged by stone throwing children, are calling for police to make the culprits’ families pay for the damage.

The businessman claim that restorative justice, where the offenders are made to apologise and explain their actions to their victims, is not tough enough.

Taxi driver Riaz Baig with the damage on his car caused by youths throwing stones 2

Mr Riaz Baig, the owner of Home and Away Taxis, said: “Why should we have to pay for the damage to our vehicles that has been caused by someone else?

“It is sheer vandalism and if the culprits are too young to pay their families should be made to foot the bill because they are responsible for them.’’

Mr Baig and Mr Iftikhar Ali, owner of Street Cars, were incensed when the youngsters, who were aged around 12 to 14, damaged their vehicles by pelting stones at them as they both waited for fares in Burnley’s Belvedere Road at around 9-30pm on Sunday, April 19th.

Mr Ali told the Express: “They ran up, threw the stones and ran off but I noticed which direction they headed to so I contacted the police immediately.’’

Police officers attended the scene and the culprits were traced to their homes and spoken to by the officers in the presence of their parents.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said the matter was still being investigated as the victims had declined to accept restorative justice.

The spokesman said: “The normal way to deal with an incident of this kind is to offer the victims restorative justice but as this has been turned down in this case we have to look at other ways to move forward.

“Officers have also been speaking to residents to find out if there is a wider problem in the area.’’